Being a new mama, much of my day (and night) is spent either feeding my little one, cleaning after him, or playing with him – so I don’t have as much time or energy to tackle complicated recipes. However – that doesn’t mean I have to settle for take out, microwaved meals or ramen – there are simple recipes like this one that take little effort, but taste amazing. All you do is prepare the meat, put it in the oven and forget about it for a few hours. Even if you aren’t a new mama – this is one recipe that all carnivores can enjoy. Buttery pork belly with a crispy, spicy and sweet rind. Pair it with a clementine chile dipping sauce, some wild rice and a fried egg – and you’ve got yourself a meal.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs of pork belly (I got mine from whole foods. If you live in Northern Virginia – Maple Ave Market cuts it fresh if you pre-order it a few days ahead of time)
- 2 tbsp of sugar
- 2 tbsp of cajun seasoning (I used David’s Spicy Rub from Maple Ave Market in Vienna)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F
- Get a shallow dish and line with foil.
- Sit the pork on with the skin side up.
- Score the skin with a sharp knife.
- Rub the sugar and seasoning all over hte skin.
- Bake it uncovered for 2 hours at 300 degrees F.
- After 2 hours, increase the heat to 450 degrees F and bake for another 15 minutes to let the skin crisp.
That’s it! For a deeper flavor – marinate the pork belly overnight with a 4:1 mixture of soy sauce and lemon juice (in addition to the dry ingredients listed above).
